Loose-leaf binder



July 19, 192?.` 4 W. D. WNDERS LOOSE LEAF vBINDER Filled oct. 12, 1926lllInlinfinldnlliillllllllflff 61H01 uni Patented July 19, 1927. Y

unirse STATES vvvILLzLuet DALE WIN'DnRs, or COLUMBUS, j ono.

"Loose-LEAF Binnen;

Applioatibn filed October 12, '1926.l Serial 'Nol `114:1,182.

r:Ihis in venti on rela tes .to `improveinents in loose leaf binder-sand `has for its principal object theprovision of a lsimple and novelform of binder ,consisting of a ypairef spaced parallel l'iindi'nglheads together with .an improved means for 'controlling the spacingbetween said heads. and `the clamping 'action exerted thereby on a bodyof leaves arranged between the heads.

In many `previoiis types lof binders of this character ithas'beencustomary to provide bifndiiig A.posts betweenthe-liead-s--opera-ted by a key controlled mechanism for @causingrelative movement between said beads to clamp and :release thev body ofv'leaves vtherebetween. Due -to the fact that these devices depend uponthe use ot a separate key to effect their operations and considerableobjection yhas been advanced respect-ing` the same for the reason that:the operating .key is apt to become lost .or misplaced and.consequently diiiicnlty is encountered in controlling the operationy'of the binding meel-ianism. It -is therefore ian outstanding .objectof the' .present invention' to .provide a loose lea-f .binder mechanismis entirely self contained and especially, wherein the `use of keyoperated inechanisn'i isA eliminated.

Another object .of the invention .resides in the provision rof alooseleaf binder wherein the .binding posts are forniedvtr.) include aplurality of separable .threadedly connected sections which may be addedor subtracted .as desired so as to regulate quickly and ertliec- :tivelythe length of the post :members so .as to vary widely thedistancesbetween the binding heads to accommodate a larger yor smaller number ofleaf sections;

A further object. of the `invention resides in the provision ofa looseleaf binder wherein one of the bind-ingheads is-provided with a. pair ofpivoted` clamping devices, which when swung to assume active positionsylie within the contines of the binding 4beadA with which they Vareconnected and operate to exercise a 't'.rictional pressure'on the bodyof leaves between said heads so as to retain said leaves in securelybound relationship with the heads. A

With these and other objects in view, as will appear as the descriptionproceeds, the invention consists inthe novel features of construction,combinations of elements and arrangements of parts hereinafter to befully described and claimed.

wherein the operating- In) the :accompanying drawing:

Figure l is a vertical longitudinal .tional view taken through the looseleaf binder comprising Vtbejiresent invention, the .plane of the sectionbeing longitudinal, throughV the binding heads and associated parts,Figure 2 `is a similar view showing the heads in their separatedpositions,

Figure 3 isa vertical sectional view the line 3 3 of Figure l, Figure lis fa similar view/on the line 4 4 of Figure l,

Figure 5 isa plan view of one of the binding heads. f

Referring more'particularly te the -d-rawings the numeral l designatesthe lupper binding head olt my improved binder, and

the numeral 2 the lower binding head; Tt

will be understood that the terms iipper and lower are used merely forconvenience as it Wrll be obvious that the respective heads l land2maybe reversed in the order described if desired. Each head is formedpreferably from sheet. metal andas of hollow. interior construction. Thellower head 21s provided with a pair of longitudinally `spaced openings3, reinforced by means nl" inner tnbnlarl `sections ll.y lilfithin theopenings 3 there are positioned a .pair ofbinding posts 5.

Fiachof the posts 5 consists of a. ,plurality lofsections 6, comprisingsolid cylindrical bodies formed at one end with a -threaded extension `7of reducedldiam-eter arranged to be received within a correspondinglyVthreaded. socket/,18 provided in the complemental Vend of the adjoiningvpost section.

It will be understood Athatany nnin er of tllesections (inriay'beemployed so to regulate thejlength ot'` the sections as desired, andthis is determined ordinarily. by the number of leaves` `9 clampedbetween the 4heads 1 and 2; The lo'weryof .the sections 6 yreceive headretaining screws l0 by which upward "movement of post sections v through:the `openings 3 .is prevented lil/viren assem led the post sectionspresent a cylindrical body having a smooth yexterior sur face and ofVuniform diameter, which enable said sections to pass through theopenings 1l provided therefor in the leaves 9, without tearing,mutilating or injuring the leaves at this point.

The upper binding lhead 1 is provided interiorly With a pair of plates12 for each binding post. These` plates are provided with alignedopenings for the reception ol trunnions 18 provided upon a pair oli'clamping levers 14, which are movable through slots 15, provided in thehead 1, into engagement with a longitudinally extending clamping bar 1G,arranged between the heads 1 and 2 and extending parallelly therewith.

The bar 16 is carried normally by the head 1 and has its ends providedwith vertical pins 17 arranged to pass through openings 18, formed inthe head 1 and are provided interiorly with liXed collars 19 with whichare engaged the upper ends of coil springs 20, the lower ends of thelatter engaging with the bottom wall of the head 1. It will be observedthat the action of the springs 2O is normally to elevate the bar 1G, asshown in Figure 2, so that the latter will lie along side ot the innerwall oit the head 1.

The upper sections 21 of the posts 5 are biturcated as at 22 andpivotally receive, as at 23, the inner ends of a pair of operatinghandles 24, which extend laterally through r openings 25 provided in thelevers 14.

lVhen actively positioned the handles 24 lie within the coniinesol theupper binding head 1, but when inactively positioned, the said handlesare capable of extending through elongated slots 26 provided in theouter wall of the head 1, as shown in Figure 2. By the medium of theslots 26 the handles 24 are conveniently accessible.

In operation, it will be seen that when the parts of the binder arepositioned as disclosed in Figure 2, and it is desired to clamp theleaves 9 firmly in place, the upper binding head is lowered so that thebar 16 will be positioned upon the upper sur'ace of the leaves 9. rlhevertically disposed handles 24 are then grasped at the outer endsthereof and are oscillated inwardly moving about the pivots 23. Thiscauses corr-esponding rotation on the part of the levers 14 about theirtrunnions 13, which are then in registration with the pivots 23, asshown in Figure The swinging of the handles 24` inwardly and downwardly,therefore, rocks the levers 14 and causes the ends of the latter toengage the bar 16 so as to :torce the latter downwardly upon the leaves9 and to elevate the binding head 1 against the influence ot the springs20. This operation is continued until the levers 14 have been swung toa. position past the vertical plane of the pivots 23, or in other words,until an off center position has been obtained. The

influence then ot the springs 2O is to hold the levers 14 and thehandles 24 in locked active position, .wherein a considerable frictionalpressure is exercised on said leaves and an accidental release o'l theoperating means is precluded. vTo separate the heads the reverse ot theabove described operation takes place, wherein the handles 24 are swungupwardly instead of downwardly.

lVhat is claimed is: y

l. In a loose leaf binder, a pair oi spaced parallel binding heads, abinding post arising from one of said heads. a lever element pivotallycarried by the other of said heads, a spring pressed bar carried by saidlast named head and engaged by said lever element, and an operatinghandle pivoted to the upper end ol' said binding post and arranged uponoscillation to rock said lever element.

2. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of spaced parallel binding` heads,binding posts eX- tending upwardly from one o't said heads, operatinghandles pi votally connected with the upper ends of said binding posts,and a pair of pivoted clamping elements carried by the upper ot saidheads and adapted to be rocked by the movements ol said handles.

3. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of spaced parallel binding heads,binding posts arising from said heads, pivoted handlesl carried by theupper ends of said binding posts, and locking elements pivotally carriedby the upper of said binding heads and provided with laterally arrangedopenings through which said handles extend, whereby oscillatory movementof said handles is yiinparted to said locking elements.

4. In a loose leaf binder, a pair oit spaced longitudinally extendingparallel" binding heads,`binding posts arising from one oi said heads,actuating handles pivoted to the upper ends of said posts, a pair oflocking elements pivoted to the upper ot said binding heads andconnected with said handles to oscillate in unison therewith, and aspring mounted c-lamping bar carried by the upper ot said bindingheadsand movable in unison with said locking elements.

In testimony whereoitl I al'liX my signature.

IVILLIAM DALE WI NDERS.

